The Western India Passengers Association has called upon Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu to allot commercial stop for all trains at the Thiruvalla railway station, besides ensuring the time-bound development of the railway station.
In a statement issued here on Thursday, association general secretry Thomas Simon said that 5,500 passengers used to board trains from Thiruvalla on a daily basis, in spite of the fact that 19 trains that passed by the station did not have a stop there. Thiruvalla, perhaps, was the only station where people were left to bear with the hollow promises made by the authorities despite its position as a prime non-resident Indian pocket and cultural capital of Central Travancore, he said.
Mr. Simon said the Thiruvalla station generated a hefty annual revenue of Rs.20 crore, even though the authorities had miserably failed in improving the passenger amenities there. He said the rail doubling work on the Chengannur-Thiruvalla stretch should be commissioned by March 31. He also called for implementing the proposed Thakazhy-Thiruvalla-Ranni-Pampa railway line project in a time-bound fashion, besides seeking approval for a new Ranni-Punalur rail line.
Thiruvalla had been catering to the rail travel needs of a large number of people living in the hilly tracts of Konni, Ranni, and Mallappally, apart from those in the low-lying Upper Kuttanad region, he said.
